By Julia Goldberg | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning, everyone. Happy Friday! Thursday was filled with breaking news across the spectrum. New Mexico regulators approved a controversial sale of New Mexico Gas Company to an affiliate of a Louisiana-based private equity firm. And Democrats finalized their gubernatorial ticket by electing Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard to run alongside Deb Haaland as lieutenant governor. Read more on both stories below, along with a slew of other news to take you into the weekend. As always, more awaits at sourcenm.com. Thank you for reading!
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission on Thursday approved the sale of New Mexico Gas Company to a subsidiary of a private equity firm in a 2-1 vote. (Photo by Danielle Prokop/Source NM)
New Mexico utility regulators approve NM Gas Co sale to private equity firm
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission approved the sale of New Mexico Gas Company to an affiliate of a Louisiana-based private equity firm in a 2-1 vote Thursday. Environmental advocates and several elected officials had vocally opposed the sale, Source senior reporter Joshua Bowling writes, as had state Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
Earlier this month, the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office settled a lawsuit with the Public Interest Legal Foundation to turn over records regarding voters erroneously being labeled dead in state voter rolls. (Photo by Leah Romero/Source NM)
New Mexico Secretary of State agrees to turn over voter death error records following lawsuit
Source’s Patrick Lohmann reports the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office agreed earlier this month to release records related to state voters erroneously labeled as deceased, following a lawsuit from a national foundation that has filed similar lawsuits against states across the country.
A new lawsuit alleges the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department chief financial officer voiced concerns about the financial impacts of the state’s universal childcare program to department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky, pictured right, alongside Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Sept. 8, 2025, before being placed on leave. (File photo/Source NM)
New Mexico state agency CFO files lawsuit alleging $83M budget shortfall from universal childcare
The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department’s chief financial officer is suing the department and alleging that its leaders retaliated against her for raising concerns that the implementation of the universal childcare program late last year caused an $83 million budget shortfall.
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard will join former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on the New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial ticket, following a State Central Committee vote that concluded on Wednesday. (Courtesy photo)
New Mexico Land Commissioner Garcia Richard wins Democratic lieutenant governor nomination
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard is the new Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor following a vote of roughly 500 state party members that concluded late Wednesday. The party stepped in to name a new lieutenant governor candidate, Source’s Patrick Lohmann writes, after Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver dropped out of the race in June shortly after winning the primary election.
ICYMI
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We're reading (and gifting) a New York Times story about a new opera making its American premiere at the Santa Fe Opera this weekend.
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